So if you read my About Page, it explains why I set up this blog. If you haven't - pretty much I set it up to share my journey to row faster..

Now what do I exactly mean by 'Rowing Faster'. Well that’s a great question, especially as I'm someone who loves quantifying data and experimenting (both which you'll see a lot of on this blog). So, since I don't even know when or if I'll be racing, I figured the best way to track my progress was by a traditional 2k erg time..

Since I haven’t really been training over the past 2 years, let alone rowing specific training, I thought ‘what is my benchmark’. If I did a 2k erg right now, I know I would easily be able to improve on this time in 1 month with the occasional training session.. so that isn’t the greatest marker.

Instead, I thought I’d compare my numbers to my ‘all-time best’ 2k times. Which were:

• 6:34.0 Junior Lightweight - 2006 - 18 years old weighing less than 75kgs (Crash-B’s where I placed 7th in the Junior Men Lightweight race)

• 6:26.0 Open Lightweight – 2007 – 20 years old. Weighing less than 75kg (Erg test with Hamilton Rowing Club)

This is me racing at the Crash B world indoor rowing champs. If I weighed in heavy I planned on shaving my hair!

 These two times were done 10 years ago, and when I was 20kg’s lighter (92kgs at the time of writing). So I don’t think it’s simply fair to say if I beat my old Personal Bests that I have improved, because I probably haven’t…

Enter Power to Weight Ratios

Running these lightweight values (let’s use the faster 6:26.0 time as that is my best) through Concept 2’s power to weight calculator (found here) gives me an:

Adjusted weight factor of 0.897

Adjusted Time of 05:46.2

Not too shabby!

New Goals

An Adjusted time of 5:46.2 at 85kgs (my expected race weight) requires me to pull a 6:15.5 2k erg time (adjusted weight factor of 0.922) That’s quick!

Considering that I’m wiser, stronger and more knowledgeable in regards to training now than I was 10 years ago, not to mention all the cutting edge supplements, recovery and diet tricks that I will be utilizing (and sharing with you here) I don’t really think equaling my old time is really an improvement.

Instead I want to IMPROVE. I want to Row Faster. So let’s go with an improvement goal of 5%.

That would make my new adjusted time target 5:28.9

Converting this back to my 85kg bodyweight would mean a time of 5:56.7

Ouch.

A sub 6minute 2k erg time. Looking at the Crash-B results from the past few years, a sub 6minute 2k time would put me in medal contention in the Mens Heavyweight Masters division (30-39 – I’m 29 at the time of writing). In fact, the 5:56.7 time would be the second fastest time in this division in the last 10 years…

So it’s a pretty lofty goal. No pressure huh!

But while I’m at it, I’ll work out a few other numbers in case my weight is different:

82.5kg - requires 5:59.1

85kg – requires 5:56.7

87.5kg – requires 5:54.4

90kg – requires 5:52.2

92.5kg – requires 5:49.8

95kg – requires 5:48.0

I’ve always liked the idea of breaking 6minutes. So it’s a pretty solid goal. Saying that, as I write this my memories associated with the pain of racing a PB 2k scare me… and those memories are nearly 10 years old. I foresee a lot of hurt in the coming few years!

If you want to know how I plan on achieving this, be sure to read this article - My Training Plan To Row Faster.

Be sure to subscribe below to follow my journey and see if I can hit my target goals. Also, if you have any feedback on power to weight ratios (especially with the concept 2 formula I have used) please leave it, or if you think a 5% improvement is too little etc. I’m not only running this blog to download my thoughts, but to create a discussion. So be sure to post whatever’s on your mind!